Strike begins in hill districts

A general strike is underway in Bangladesh’s three hill districts to demand justice for the murder of microbus driver Sajib, who was killed while taking a group to the funeral of Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti (MN Larma) leader Shaktiman Chakma.

The 48-hour strike called by the Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad and the Parbatya Nagorik Parishad began on Monday morning.

Activists from both organisations gathered in Rangamati town’s Manikchhari area in support of the protests, but no violence has been reported thus far.

“A peaceful strike is being held in all three hill districts. Pickets have been on the roads since morning,” said Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad Central Committee General Secretary Shahadat Farazi Sakib.

No buses or launches left Rangamati due to the strike, but only autorickshaw service has been halted in the town itself.

Rangamati’s Naniarchar Upazila Chairman Shaktiman Chakma was shot and killed last Thursday while on his way to work.

The next day five people were shot and killed and eight others injured in an attack on a microbus carrying members of the UPDF (Democratic) and Jubo Samiti (MN Larma) to Shaktiman Chakma’s funeral.

The dead were identified as United People’s Democratic Front (Ganatantrik) leader Tapan Jyoti Chakma, President of Mahalchhari unit of JSS (MN Larma) Sujan Chakma, JSS (MN Larma) members Tanoy Chakma and Robin Chakma and Sajib, the driver of the microbus.

On Apr 16, three Bangalee wood traders – Md Salauddin, Md Bahar Miah and Maharam Ali – went missing in Mohalchhari. They have yet to be rescued.

The Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad and the Parbatya Nagorik Parishad called the 48-hour strike to demand justice for Sajib’s murder, the banning of armed political groups such as the JSS and the UPDF and the release of the three Bangalee traders.

Additional police security has been deployed to Rangamati’s main roads to contain unrest. There have been no reports of gunfire in the district since this morning, said Rangamati Kotowali Police Station OC Satyajit Barua.